Echo Burning is the 5th novel in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. I’m obsessed with this series!
Somewhere in Texas, in the middle of the scorching summer, Jack Reacher is hitchhiking along a deserted stretch of highway. Reacher isn’t expecting anyone to pick him up, considering his intimidating 6’5″ muscular physique, so he’s surprised when a beautiful, petite young Hispanic woman named Carmen Greer pulls over and offers him a ride.
As they start driving, Reacher learns Carmen Greer has been searching for a man just like Reacher to carry out a plan that involves assassinating her abusive husband and escaping his a meddling and very racist family.
Unwilling to take part in Carmen’s crazy and poorly thought-out plan, Reacher puts his military detective skills to the test and realizes there’s a lot more going on than just Carmen’s plan to kill her husband. Now, Reacher is part of the plan whether he likes it or not.
Echo Burning is by far the most boring and drawn-out Reacher book I’ve read so far. This one just seems to last a lifetime.
Plus, all the characters are annoying in this novel, with the exception of Reacher. Carmen is prissy and needy, and even Alice—Reacher’s lawyer sidekick is stale and unlively.
Also, Child makes far too many references to the sticky Texas heat, which becomes irritating long before Carmen and Reacher even make it to the small town of Echo, Texas. Even more irritating are numerous references to the number of non-working air conditioners everywhere Reacher goes. If this is the author’s attempt at comic relief, he fails miserably. I truly find it hard to believe that Echo cannot maintain its air conditioners in every single building.
As usual, this Reacher book is packed with a bunch of smart red herrings and plot twists. You’ll go back and forth between deciding who you think is the real bad guy behind the chaos.
What did you think about Echo Burning?
Last Updated on November 28, 2025 by Sarah Ann
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